MATI KORAJŽA A Slovene street theatre spectacle Inspired by Bertolt Brecht’s play Mother Courage Kamnik, 27. 9. 2012 (pre-premiere) Maribor, 28. 9. 2012 (premiere) Ljubljana, 29. in 30. 9. 2012
Introduction This paper is a collection of working materials for the creation of a collective performance by Slovene street theater groups entitled “Mother Courage”. In the last few years the domestic street theater scene has developed greatly in many interesting directions, especially in terms of quality. In 1999, Ana Monro Theatre, KUD Priden Možic, Dejmo stisn’t teater, Teater Gromki, Torpedo Theatre, Javšnik I drugovi came together and collectively created a performance, Passion Play. It was performed twice, in Ljubljana and in Maribor during the street theatre festival Ana Desetnica. In Ana Monro Theatre we unfortunately fell into existential difficulties which hindered the continuation of Pasijon and similar collective projects but I am nevertheless convinced that the collective work gave an impetus to the street scene of the time. I believe it is time again to step together and collectively create a performance that goes beyond the frames of our own individual abilities. Furthermore, the project represents an opportunity to work together as artists and the chance to establish long-lasting connections. The fact that we will include twenty more or less random foreigners who will join us in the last week of creation as active extras gives an additional value to the project. I am positive that Mother Courage will be a good performance and spectacle. I hope it will continue on beyond the five showings that are planned. No doubt, time will tell. By all means I hope to reach a new way of cooperating and a development of a street theatre community based on collaboration and mutual support. Encouraging healthy competition can be fruitful for everyone. Therefore I invite you all to join us! Goro Osojnik Ana Monro Theatre
Description of the project From 2010 through to 2012, the description of the project Mother Courage was sent to numerous application calls. It is a part of Ana Monro’s regular production program, and is supported by Maribor, the European Capital of Culture 2012, and Ljubljana Tourism. It is also in application process for funds from the Lifelong Learning European Community Programme. The following text is more or less what is written in the applications: The source of ideas which the performance Mother Courage will be based on is drawn from Brecht’s play of the same name, adopted to the present state of Slovene society and politics, which also hints at a possible escalation of social division into an armed conflict that would release the accumulated tension in society. Although the war metaphor is grim, it is deeply perceived. The performance offers drastic action as an alternative solution and takes the medieval straightforwardness of people’s sacrifice in torture and condemnation as a reference point. This historical setting is subverted into the relation of authority vs subject. The subversion is represented by a twist in the performance, a catharsis of a deprived little man who meets the possibility of catharsis through the virtual torture of the superiors. The realization of the performance will be positive and very attractive despite the fact that the topic is somber. It will be a spectacle with more than twenty actors, a strong side of the performance being also the visual aspect - unusual machines, prominent costumes, impressive music and numerous performers. Space-wise, the performance will be a combination of independent actions and site specific interventions directly connected to a concrete location. The surroundings of Ljubljanica river and its embankment as specifics of Ljubljana and streets and courtyards in Maribor. Thus the performance is tightly linked to the local urban structure and takes advantage of it. Another link to the specifics of local environment will be a cast of extras or minor roles. A part of performance will always stay particular and localized due to the fact that a big part of performers will be amateurs, people from the local environment, residents, volunteers, who will be instructed in the workshop/laboratory. The performance is designed as a project which will connect Slovene artistic groups of different generations active in Slovenia. Basic production, artistic management and direction is the result of active cooperation of two leading street theatre groups Ana Monro Theatre (Goro Osojnik) and KUD Ljud (Vida Cerkvenik Bren and Jaša Jenull), which will now join forces with numerous excellent street theatre artists such as Bimbo teater (Alenka Marini č and Urška Mlakar), Trio Amore (Dušan Teropši č , Tina Janeži č and Maša Ceglar), Improliga (Juš Mil č inski and Luka Koren č i č ), KD Priden Možic (Goran and Anja Završnik), duo Niavke (Manca Urši č and Katjuša Kova č i č ), Trije Težki (Kaja Balog, Tea Vidmar and Leon Vidmar), Teatro Papelito (Brane Solce) and others. The performance will be interesting for a wide spectrum of audiences, including the foreign audience, as it is based on the language of gestures, feelings and action and not on the spoken word. It is set as a symbolic and actual connection of the two Slovene capitals, the actual capital Ljubljana and the 2012 cultural capital Maribor, one co-producer of the project being also Maribor 2012 Institute. The premiere of the performance will take place in Maribor.
Setting Mother Courage on the street The decision why I chose Bertolt Brecht and his Mother Courage as a base for a street performance has multiple reasons. In the attachment you will find an abridged note on Brecht and Mother Courage. However, I still recommend reading the play itself and therefore I will not write extensively on the details. It is definitely a challenge to transform a text-based play into a street theatre performance. Besides this, the theme of war and people who are involved in it willingly or not, seems very up-to date nowadays or even realistic bearing in mind the current crisis and its devastating effect on the so called first world. At the same time, the image of pulling the military canteen wagon is very street-like. In general Brecht’s estrangement effect seems very suitable for the street, since his focus in theatre is to remind the spectator that the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself. This is in fact a similar principle to what we try to create on the street – a theatre in the frames of the real life and not the real life itself. I invited Vida and Jaša, members of theatre collective KUD Ljud, to co-direct and help developing the project. While discussing we found numerous elements of the play that are suitable for the street. Certainly , the play is not convenient for the street due to the lack of concrete action but as a source of adaptable content it is definitely a good point of departure and inspiration for a performance. Asking ourselves why Mother Courage gained so much success we came to the point that it was very current at its time for its allegoric approach to the actual attitude that Germans expressed towards Second World War. In present time in Slovenia this is not relevant, therefore we decided to treat the play in a light and easy way . Broadening the historical frame we can take various historical eras with their iconographies and symbols and set them within the Slovene nation as a principal theme of the performance. It inevitably brings us to the division which dominates the Slovene society and represents something invincible. The idea is to show this situation and also find a resolution for it in the performance itself. Besides this, we decided to take one or more songs from Brecht’s play (I hope to convince Andrej Rozman Roza to recreate the song and Goran Završnik to set it into music), the character of Mother Courage, her wagon, the travel and such elements. Upon actors’ needs or wishes we will use certain parts, dialogues, scenes, etc. of the play that translate well into street theatre language. Our wish is to create a spectacular performance, reaching the broader audience. The obvious first suggestion was to create a huge, spectacular and fascinating wagon which would serve as a moving stage. We soon came to the conclusion that the circumstances do not allow the creation of such carriage and besides, a big and picturesque scenographic element can easily become limiting as we would need to use it in each scene thus leading us to monotony . Nevertheless, the concept of travel and carriage remains very attractive and suited to the street. Upon reflection we approached the matter in a more original way and so came to the idea to use the expressive richness of large performing troupe who can convert into anything whatsoever – also into a wagon. This brought us to decision to
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